The Easter Egg Fight
Whose chicken laid the hardest shell? And what does it have to do with Easter?…
By Philip K. Hardin, M.A., MDiv., LMFT, LPC
By Philip K. Hardin, M.A., MDiv., LMFT, LPC
“Thank you, Jesus!”
That was my declaration as I arrived home Thursday evening from my weekly trip to Jackson, Mississippi. This week’s trip had me outrunning tornadoes and severe thunderstorms as I left Jackson headed to Fairhope, Alabama. I was thankful to be safely home.
Over dinner, Karla and I discussed our plans for Easter. She let me know that after church, we would be hosting several guests for Easter Brunch.
I said, “Great, let’s have an Egg Fight!”
Karla looked at me like I had lost my mind.
She said, “You mean we are going to throw eggs at each other?”
And the look that followed was worth a thousand words!
I said, “You’ve been married to me for 37 years and you don’t know what an Easter Egg Fight is! Don’t you remember how I grew up coloring eggs and then fighting with them every Easter!”
We had a good laugh and I had to remind her of what an “Easter Egg Fight” is.
I grew up with this tradition. Let me explain.
The Peters Hollow Egg Fight
Less than a mile from my home growing up was the annual Easter “Peter’s Hollow Egg Fight.”
The first Peter's Hollow Egg Fight happened sometime in the early 1800's. Best estimates state that it was around Easter of 1820. The first egg fight was the result of a dispute between the residents of Rome Hollow and Peters Hollow. The dispute was centered around who's chickens laid the hardest eggs.
Starting with a certain amount of eggs, competitors go around and tap the ends of their hardboiled eggs on someone else’s - trying to crack their opponent’s shell. The egg shells that don’t crack move on throughout the competition until it dwindles down to one winner.
Back in the day, egg fights used to go on long into the night, but the competition has in later days set some limitations. Although the original "Egg Fight" was for area residents, it is now open to the public and is a traditional annual event.
An ”Egg Fight” was part of every Easter that I can remember. Everybody had colored eggs in a basket, and we were anxious to find out who had the hardest shelled egg.
Wikipedia describes this tradition as egg tapping, or also known as egg fight, egg- knocking, egg-boxing, egg-picking, egg-chucking, [1] or egg-jarping is a traditional Easter game.
The rule of the game is simple. One holds a hard-boiled egg and taps the egg of another participant with one's own egg intending to break the other's, without breaking one's own. As with any other game, it has been a subject of cheating; eggs with cement, alabaster and even marble cores have been reported.
Easter Traditions and Symbolism
The egg has traditionally been a symbol of rebirth, adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus at Easter. The cracked egg is a symbol of the empty tomb of Jesus. His resurrection is critical to the Gospel of Jesus! Please consider the account of the resurrection in Matthew 28:8-15.
There are four major truths about the resurrection that teach us about its’ absolute necessity.
First,
the Resurrection proves that Jesus was indeed the divine Son of God (Romans 1:4).
I am so grateful for the resurrection because it gives me certainty that Jesus truly is God. Only God can overcome death. In raising Jesus from the grave, God declared, beyond all shadow of doubt, that this Jesus - whom lawless men crucified- was indeed the divine Son of God.
Second,
the resurrection of Jesus assures me of God’s provision for the penalty for my sins (I Corinthians 15:17; Romans 4:24). Without Jesus, I would be accountable to pay the penalty of my sins. I would be fully responsible.
It was God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8:11), and by that act God declared that Christ’s atoning sacrifice had been accepted. The penalty for my sins was paid in full. The resurrection was God’s declaration that He had cancelled the record of debt that stood against me with its legal demands (Col. 2:14).
Third,
the resurrection assures me that I serve a living Savior who even now is interceding for me (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). The Bible tells me that Jesus has suffered in all the ways I do, and He knows what I experience daily.
The One who died for me now lives to intercede for me. Whatever struggles I am facing—be it challenges of all sorts, or sin I am struggling with, I know that Jesus is interceding for me.
Fourth,
the resurrection of Christ guarantees my future resurrection (I Corinthians 15:12-58). I am confident in Jesus’ resurrection that I will be in heaven one day. As of no merit of my own, but by faith in Jesus, I will live eternally in heaven. “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (vv. 20–23).”
“Thank you, Jesus!”
Every day, I claim the power of the resurrection triumph of Jesus Christ!
I believe I am safe from all forms of death and destruction that come against me.
By Jesus Christ and His great resurrection work, I fight off every attempt of my enemies to steal, kill, or destroy my life. As Jesus said, no one takes my life from me (John 10:18).
This Easter, let the symbolism of a cracked egg be a great reminder of His daily power and hope that is available to you!
HE IS RISEN!